Charles m



Patented May l6, I899.

C. M. HIGGINS.

SAP AND BRUSH FOR BOTTLES. (Application filed Aug. S3, 1895. Renewed Oct. 18, 1898.)

(No Model.)

[N VE N TOR.

llNrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. HIGGINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAP AND BRUSH FOR BOTTLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,934, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed August 23, 1895. Renewed October 18, 1898. Serial No. 693,934. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, (Brooklyn,) in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulIm provements in Caps and Brushes for Bottles, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to caps and brushes for bottles of mucilage, ink, and other material, consisting of a cap to cover the mouth of the bottle, with a brush projecting from the under side of the cap for the distribution of the mueilage and a handle projecting from the top of the cap for manipulation. V In a formerapplication, Serial No. 556,058, filed July 20, 1895,1 show the cap and handle formed of sheet metal struck up'in one seamless piece, while the stem of the brush is made separately and socketed within the handleshank of the cap and there secured. In my present invention I form the cap, the ma-- nipulating-handle, and the tubular stem of the brush all united in one integral piece, the same being cast or molded in soft metal, typemetal, or other suitable material, thereby securing severalimportant advantages, as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 gives an elevation of my improved bottle cap and brush, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same before the bristles or swab are inserted in the end of the brush-stem and secured therein, as is shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a modification in which the end of the tubular stem is formed with a beveled point like a quill or pen, which is used as a substitute or equivalent for the brush or swab for dipping up and applying drawing-ink or other fluid. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section showing a further modification in which the tubular stem does not extend as far as in Fig. 4, but is made short to receive a pointed quill, whose upper end is socketed in the said stem, while the free end is adapted to dip in and apply the ink.

In the drawings, a indicates the cap adapted to cover the mouth of the bottle, 6 the handle projecting upwardly therefrom, and c the brush-stem projecting downward therethus formed is preferably made of soft metal,

such as white-metal or britannia, or type-metal, and in dies into which the metal is forced under pressure in the same manner in which type is cast. This method, being well understood in the art of metal-working, requires no further specification here. The lower end of the tubular-stem c is of course open when it leaves the dies, as seen in Fig. 3, and in this open end is inserted a tuft of bristles (Z, as seen in Fig. 2, or a swab of sponge, felt, or other material, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and the swab or bristles are then firmly secured in place by pinching or flattening the end of the tube thereupon, as shown in Figs.- 1 and 2, thereby completing the brush in a very simple manner.

I prefer to make the brush-stem c and the handle Z) hollow or tubular throughout theirlength, the bore of the two being continuous and coincidental, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, and slightly tapering for draft, this bore being of course externally closed at the rounded tip of the handle I), which is solid or imperforate at said end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The bore may extend, however, only partly through the length of the handle I), which. may be made solid for part of its length toward its upper end, as seen in Fig. 4., if preferred. The first construction is lighter and. saves metal,while the latter construction is stronger and makes the handle end so preponderate in weight that when the brush islaid down the tip or swab of the brush will always be kept elevated and not likely to smear anything on which it is placed, as will be understood on .thread, as at g in Fig, 4, to screw onto the bottle-neck and form'a Water-tight joint by means of interposed packing-Washer m. I prefer in some cases to make the outer oircumference of the rim in hexagonal form or IOO many-sided, as seen in Figs. 1 and 5, so that the brush will not roll about when laid down,

it has no joints or seams either internally or externally to allow possible leaks when the brush is screwed onto the bottle, as in Fig. 4, and has no joints to possibly become loosened during the use or manipulation of the brush. Furthermore, as the brush-stem is a seamless tube and of homogeneous material integral with the cap and handle it is not liable to be injured by corrosion when dipped into the contents of the bottle and is not likely to soil the contents by such corrosion as occurs with the openj ointed metal tube of heterogeneous material heretofore used.

Instead of having the tubular stem 0 terminate with a brush or swab, as in Figs. 1, 2, j and 3, it may terminate with a fine-pointed I tip, like that of a pen-point or quill, as shown 3 at 70 in Fig. 4, which will act as the equivalent for a brush when used in bottles of drawing-ink or other material, the quill-point being adapted to dip up the ink and fill the drawing-pen, as will be understood. For this purpose I sometimes prefer to have the tubular stem abbreviated, as in Fig. 7, and insert therein a quill 7c,which,'projecting therefrom, will dip into the ink, and thus prevent contact of the metal therewith, which modification will be desirablein cases where the ink or fluid would be injurious to the metal, or vice versa.

I greatly prefer to make my improved article from soft metal, as described; but it may of course be made of any suitable material which admits of the described construction.

It will be noted that in myimproved brush as described the handle and ferrule of the brush are formed in one continuous seamless metallic tube closed at one end and open at the other, the bristles being secured in the open end of the tube. I do not, however, claim this featurein the present application, having reserved it to form the subject of a separate application, Serial No. 594,408, filed by me on the 5th of June, 1896.

What I claim is 1. A bottle cap or cover comprising a body portion a f, to encircle and cover the mouth of the bottle; and a rigid combined stem and handle projecting from the upper and lower faces of the body portion; said stem and handle being closed at its upper and open at its lower end, and integral with the body portion; and a brush d or its equivalent fixed in said open end, all substantially as shown and described.

2. A bottle cap or cover comprising abody portion a f, to encircle and cover the mouth of the bottle; anda rigid combined stem and handle projecting from the upper and lower faces of the body portion, and of diminishing or tapering form from its center toward its ends; said stem and handle being closed at its upper and open at its lower end, and cast 'or molded integral with the body portion, all substantially as shown and described.

3. An improved brush and cap for bottles formed of a rigid metallic tube made in one seamless piece, closed at one end and open at the other and having a rigid cap projecting from the sides of the tube at or about midway between the closed and open end, integral with the walls of the tube; the closed part of the tube above the cap forming the handle of the brush and the open part below the cap forming the stern of the brush and having the swab of the brush secured in its open end, substantially as herein shown and described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses. A

CHAS. M. HIGGINS. Vitnesses:

HORACE A. DODGE, WALTER S. DODGE. 

